Met up with John this morning and, after a quiet start, we had a very good morning. Still plenty of Canada Geese (c.87) on the main lake with the hybrid and a single Greylag. Tern numbers have increased, a regular occurrence at this time of year according to DK, with c.29 over the main lake and c.33 Black Headed Gulls mixed in to make counting more challenging! Also 3 Grey Herons and just a single Reed Warbler burbling quietly in the main path reed bed.
On west Fingers 40+ Mallards, a couple of Moorhens, the Mute Swan family, a cormorant and the 2 Great Crested Grebe youngsters with one of the adults. On east fingers a party of six Cormorants fishing together.
Just a couple of Grey Herons at Kramer hide. Up at the old railway bridge a couple of singing Sedge Warblers with one making a couple of song flights. Also a few burbling Reed Warblers. A couple of Grey Wagtails were up on the bridge and another Grey Heron by the river just downstream from the Cut.
We decided to head along the cycle path and check out the various pits. On 100 Acre a single Redshank was spotted with the aid of John's scope. The Grey Heron flew in from the river. Further along, at Meadow Lane GP, again the scope came to our aid picking out Ringed Plover, Redshank and Grey Wagtail to go with the 3 Little Egret (Same ones as seen by Errol?), single BH Gull and couple of Mute Swans. An Oystercatcher flew from the far side of the pit dropping out of sight below the scrub on the far side. In the field on the opposite side of the cycle track the hoped for Ringed Plovers were not to be found. Frankly you could hide an elephant in there now, the rate of growth of the crops in there the last couple of weeks has been amazing.
We decided to continue on and check out the Tern Pool on the other side of the bypass. It's looking very overgrown this year but is home to about 10 Tufted Ducks three of which have young, one having an incredible 12 small ducklings all diving for food, a great sight. Also on the pool were Mute Swan, Coot, Mallard and Great Crested Grebe (1 adult with well grown chick). The Pool was also magnet for hirundines with hundreds swooping low over the water. These were a mix of Sand and House Martins and were joined by a large number of Swifts. Continuing around the pool to the crop field on the far side a number of Skylarks were singing on high and the hoped for Yellow Wagtails showed up with at least 3 dropping into the same field one of which had a tall stick to use as a singing post. A couple of Kestrels were calling and were seen over towards Octagon lakes.
A fairly quiet walk back although we found 3 Redshank on 100 Acre with the single Grey Heron. Much noisier in the park but that was just the sound carrying from the river festival. Also a couple of dodgy looking characters with a net in the coppiced plantation by Fingers!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Ringing, etc 12/07
Set up behind the Long Hedge in 4 places. Caught 9 adults, 5 juveniles and 8 re-traps; that's 22 birds of 9 spp.
5 Wrens, 3 Dunnocks, 1 Robin, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Les. Whitethroat (F), Whitethroat (J), Blackcap (2 males), Chaffinch 1 (M) & 5 Bullfinch.
The Chaffinch was in moult, the Bullfinchs were 4 from last year and a juv., and the Blackcaps were both ringed as juvs in the Rough, one in June '06, the second in June '03, making it the longest "lived" in the group's records.
There were also 3 Little Egrets in the "Heron tree" left of the Kramer hide. 2 Stock Doves took off from the New Meadow at 05:30, going in different directions. Chiffies very vocal today.
5 Wrens, 3 Dunnocks, 1 Robin, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Les. Whitethroat (F), Whitethroat (J), Blackcap (2 males), Chaffinch 1 (M) & 5 Bullfinch.
The Chaffinch was in moult, the Bullfinchs were 4 from last year and a juv., and the Blackcaps were both ringed as juvs in the Rough, one in June '06, the second in June '03, making it the longest "lived" in the group's records.
There were also 3 Little Egrets in the "Heron tree" left of the Kramer hide. 2 Stock Doves took off from the New Meadow at 05:30, going in different directions. Chiffies very vocal today.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Walkies - Fri 11th
Mid-morning. Main lake - 2 imm + 1 ad Heron, ca.19 Terns, 40 B/H Gulls of which 11 were juvs and c.6 were 2CYs. 2 Blackcaps singing at the bottom of the steps.
MANDARIN hiding in the typha off the dead seat. Also quite a few Ecclipse Mallard and large young. 2 Garden Warblers singing in the Rough. Blue Tits & Bullfinches feeding off the sow thistles in the latest coppice area. Treecreeper calling by Sedgewick seat.
WOODCOCK spooked from tree by the owl box; flew round and came back in to dense willow on island opposite. Sedge by the lifebelt but disappeared downstream. Female Blackcap feeding 1 young on edge of Kingsmead. Fingers at Kramer - 1 imm & 2 ad Herons. Kingfisher heard.
Also adult ecclipse GADWALL and 2 well grown young together (speculum seen) - the only ducks there. All the BHGs were down by the beach on the way back.
MANDARIN hiding in the typha off the dead seat. Also quite a few Ecclipse Mallard and large young. 2 Garden Warblers singing in the Rough. Blue Tits & Bullfinches feeding off the sow thistles in the latest coppice area. Treecreeper calling by Sedgewick seat.
WOODCOCK spooked from tree by the owl box; flew round and came back in to dense willow on island opposite. Sedge by the lifebelt but disappeared downstream. Female Blackcap feeding 1 young on edge of Kingsmead. Fingers at Kramer - 1 imm & 2 ad Herons. Kingfisher heard.
Also adult ecclipse GADWALL and 2 well grown young together (speculum seen) - the only ducks there. All the BHGs were down by the beach on the way back.
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